Washington – The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia has charged pest control giant Bio-Tech Management Inc. and its owner, Steven A. Murray, 54, with a litany of white-collar crimes including conspiracy, unlawful use of pesticides, false statements, falsification of records, and mail fraud.
According to court documents, the indictment alleges that from October 2005 to June 2009, Murray and his company systematically misapplied the pesticide Termidor SC in nursing homes across Georgia. They are accused of not only violating EPA regulations by applying the pesticide indoors more than twice a year, contrary to the manufacturer’s instructions, but also falsifying documents to cover their tracks.
The fraudulent activities included sending invoices through the U.S. Mail to nursing home clients for services that were neither lawful nor delivered. The indictment further reveals that after the Georgia Department of Agriculture raised concerns about Bio-Tech’s misuse of Termidor and other pesticides, Murray directed employees to alter service reports in an attempt to obstruct justice.
Under federal law, the falsifying records and mail fraud charges could carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count. False statements carry a potential five-year sentence and a similar fine.
The investigation and prosecution are being handled by the EPA’s Criminal Investigations Division in Atlanta and Trial Attorneys Richard J. Powers and Adam C. Cullman of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Crimes Section.
For more information or inquiries regarding this case, contact the Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007 or Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office at (478) 621-2602.
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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